Thieves have preference for ‘shopping’ in Corbin

A Flat Lick man and female accomplice were arrested around 11 p.m. Monday night by Laurel County deputies at the Corbin Walmart.

Officials say James Merida, 26, of Ever Green Road, Flat Lick, and Whitney Mills, 26, of Moores Creek Road at Fourmile were held by the Walmart loss prevention team until Laurel deputies arrived.

Merida and Mills had reportedly been observed by the store’s loss prevention team concealing items on their person, as well as in a bag Mills had been carrying, and trying to leave the store without paying for the items.

Mills reportedly told Laurel County Deputy Jackson that she came from Knox County to Corbin Walmart because they had all the good items, and the one in Barbourville does not have anything worth stealing.

Both Merida and Mills were charged with shoplifting and lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.

In an unrelated incident Francis Zadrozny, 41, of Trosper was arrested for shoplifting at the same Walmart around 9 p.m. Monday. Zadrozny was charged with shoplifting and public intoxication (controlled substances) after authorities determined she h ad taken Suboxone and Nurotin earlier in the day. She was also charged on two Knox County bench warrants for failure to appear in court.